


Elegantly Wasted

by Whambamthanksbatfam



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Damian Wayne, BAMF Dick Grayson, Bat Brothers, Bat Family, Batfamily Feels, Damian Wayne Feels, Damian Wayne Needs a Hug, Damian Wayne-centric, Family Fluff, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Past Talia al Ghul/Bruce Wayne, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 08:10:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14374557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whambamthanksbatfam/pseuds/Whambamthanksbatfam
Summary: "He wasn’t wanted here, and he was tired of pretending... Damian was tired of trying to meet his father’s standards. Every time Damian got close to the bar, his father raised it. He just wanted to please the man, but that seemed impossible.He wanted to see the smile his father gave his ‘brothers,’ but he wasn’t going to. He would always fall short, and Damian Wayne does not fail. So, he will leave. He’ll go somewhere he will succeed."





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story that is very dear to my heart, so I hope you guys enjoy it.

Damian was leaving. He wasn’t wanted here, and he was tired of pretending. His father got mad at him again for ‘unwarranted brutality.’ Damian was tired of trying to meet his father’s standards. Every time Damian got close to the bar, his father raised it. He just wanted to please the man, but that seemed impossible. 

 

He wanted to see the smile his father gave his ‘brothers,’ but he wasn’t going to. He would always fall short, and Damian Wayne does not fail. So, he will leave. He’ll go somewhere he will succeed. 

 

Damian took to the sewers, but not before shedding his trackers. They would expect him to be too prideful to go down below, so that is where he will go. At first, the stench is overpowering his gag reflex, but Damian is an al Ghul. He sucks it up, and goes on. He keeps going until he gets to a safehouse he has. No one knows about it, so it’s the perfect place to hide.

 

He’s not going to burden his family anymore. With him gone, they can finally move on. Damian needs somewhere to go. He’ll go the league. Sure, it wasn’t ‘fun’ being in the league, but roles and expectations were clearly defined. Once he got the safehouse, he called his mother.

_ “Ibn?” _

“Hello, mother.”

_ “Son, what is it you need? Have you finally decided you’ve had enough of breathing the same rancid air as the plebians of Gotham?”  _ Talia says this every time they speak, but she’s actually right this time.

“Yes, mother.” This threw Talia for a loop, but she wasn’t complaining.

_ “There will be a plane for you in 24 hours,” _ she said it happily. Though she’d never admit it, she had missed her son.  _ “See you soon.” _

“Yes, mother. Good bye.” Damian decides to burn some time, so he writes a letter to the Batfamily.

 

_ Wayne Household, _

 

_ I am leaving. I know you all will be sad at my departure, but I do not fit here, so I have left to go where my place is. I will not disclose the name of such place, so don’t bother. I wish you all success in your endeavors, though my time here, overall, was elegantly wasted. _

 

_ Father, I hold no ill-will towards you or your household. Our time together was adequate though I learned nothing particularly effective from you. I understand your methods were best in your point of view, so I will not criticize them in any way. I wish you the best. _

 

_ Pennyworth, you were adequate in all your endeavors, and I recognize your work. Your culinary skills were better than most of your kind, and cleaning skills better than the servants in Nanda Parbat. I wish you good health and contentedness in the rest of your life.  _

 

_ Drake, you are truly one of my most annoying nemeses, and I acknowledge you even when you’ve yet to prove your worth. I still have yet to find out why Grandfather is so fond of you. I leave you with my team. They will join yours now. Though I know they will be saddened by their regression in leadership, they will hopefully live. Treat them well, or I will be sure to make you regret it. _

 

_ Todd, you may have my cat. Though you will not admit it, I know you are fond of Alfred, so she will do best in your care. Moreover, you are given gratitude for your help in recent situations. Also, I resign my membership to the “Dead Robins Club.” Do not be torn up, for I know how my absence will be felt for all the years to come. _

 

_ Grayson, I will admit that your company was the least irksome, so it will the most-least missed. Though I must admit, we were the best. I may consider visiting you, so do not turn my leaving into a somber occasion. You may have my drawings (even the secret book). _

 

_ Best wishes, Damian Wayne. _

 

Damian mailed the letter to Dick. After writing the letter, Damian decided to rest. He knew that with his transportation would come his mother’s assassins. He would have to kill them to get home. Home, it was weird for Damian to refer to his Grandfather’s compound as home. He hadn’t in so long, but he figured he would get used to it again. He had been keeping up his assassin training, so assimilation back into the league should be easy. He hadn’t finished his mother’s mission, but, actually, his leaving might have.

 

He was tasked with distracting Batman for a time that the league could get some connections set in Gotham. It would be easy now. She would be pleased. Damian dressed in his traditional wear, and went to sleep, weapons ready. 


	2. In Media Res

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian is a teenager.

Damian was back in Gotham. Not by choice though. He had been back with the league for three years, when his Father finally found him, and brought him back. He hadn’t seen any of his ‘family’ besides Grayson in those three years. He visited his oldest brother every three months, but did not disclose the fact that he was in the league. 

 

Pennyworth acted happy enough to see him. Todd and Drake were normal. They didn’t comment anything besides ‘It’s the demon!’ and ‘Welcome back.’ His father was, indifferent. He forced Damian to come back, but had ignored him ever since. Damian considered going back, he could if he wanted to. He was too skilled for them to hold him, but he didn’t because his mother told him to stay. Like last time, she’s the reason he is here. She wants him to try again in learning from his father, but he didn’t think there was anything he could learn from the man. She loves him more than anyone, Damian believes. 

 

He doesn’t do much at the manor. His father tried to enroll him in school, but Damian would not go. He had his mother order tutors to send his current college level work. He mostly trained, and played with Alfred since Todd brought him back. 

 

He didn’t talk except to Grayson. He would respond to Pennyworth out of respect, and talked to Drake or Todd if they initiated. Damian al Ghul didn’t small talk though, so he mostly kept to himself. He had grown out of his ‘needing to comment rudely at everything’ stage too.

 

Other members of the Batfamily tried to talk to him, but he just pretended he didn’t speak english around them. It was entertaining to him, to see their faces when they tried to talk to him, and he started rambling in Arabic. Todd even spoke Arabic with him to help him keep the ruse. Although, he may have to reveal himself soon because the girl named Brown is trying to learn Arabic now.

 

The Batfamily can tell that Damian is more closed off than he was before he left, and that was saying something because he wasn’t exactly open as a boy. His abnormal silence scared Tim, but Jason didn’t really care. He figured the boy shouldn’t have been forced to come home anyway. Dick was happy to be able to see the boy more often, but he could tell Damian wanted to go back to the league. Bruce brought him back, but he couldn’t say the stress of having there wasn’t great. He figured the boy had killed again since he’d been gone. He didn’t want him to be a vigilante anymore, the risk would be too great.

 

Damian was training in the cave when they all ambushed him. “Damian.” It was Bruce. Damian pretended he didn’t hear the sounds and continued training. “Damian.” The tone was deeper now. Damian stabbed the training dummy, a lethal one, and turned to his father. He saw the his whole ‘family’ staring at him. 

“Father.”

“You speak English? You jerk,” Yelled Stephanie. Jason was snickering while Tim was being hit for not telling her.

“I see you’re training,” Bruce said it like it was a question.

“One must,” Damian replied evenly. No one spoke for a bit. “What do you require, Father?”

“I need to know if there are any league members in Gotham.” Damian smirked.

“Of course, you.”

“What?”

“Have you forgotten your ties to the Justice League?” Jason smiled mischievously.

“You know what I mean, Damian.”

“Well, I don’t know.”

“Your grandfather tells you everything of course you know.”

“He is quite fond of me.” Damian was still smirking.

“I’m not playing, Damian.”

“Never said you were, Father.”

“Answer the question.”

“I. Don’t. Know.” Damian did know. He helped them get here, but he wasn’t going to tell just anyone that. Bruce grunted. Dick decided to chime in.

“Hey, Little D,” he was smiling widely.

“Hello, Grayson.”

“How are you? We haven’t talked in forever,” he singsonged.

“You saw me a week ago, Grayson.”

“I know, but that was so long ago!”

“If you say so.”

“Well, since Bruce is done with pleasantries. How about we go out to a movie?”

“I’m good.”

“Please, for me, Little D,” Dick begged.

“Fine.”

“Yay!” Dick was practically jumping up and down. “C’mon, Little D,” Dick grabbed Damian’s hand and dragged him out the room. 

They decided to take a soccer mom van Dick had Bruce had for occasions like this. Bruce drove, and Tim, being smart, took the passenger seat. The girls and Jason sat in the second row, and Dick sat with Damian in the very back. “So, Little D, how’s life?” Dick began to make conversation with Damian.

“Fine, Grayson. I assume your activities in Bludhaven are prospering.”

“Yep. What’ve you been up to?”

“I train and keep up with my studies.”

“Cool!” Then Dick began to speak lower. “Do you still miss the compound?”

“That’s not relevant.”

“How’s Bruce treating you?”

“Fine.” Dick frowned.

“Do you wanna come stay with me in Blud for a few days?” Damian’s look of indifference changed to one of intrigue. 

“Why?”

“Well, I have this drug ring I’m trying to bust, and I could use an extra hand.” Dick nudged Damian.

“I don’t think Father would approve,” Damian held his head down.

“Why?” Dick was confused at how quickly Damian deflated.

“He probably thinks I’ll kill someone. I have control of my skills, though. If I did, it would be by choice, not lack of control.”

“You’re coming. I’ll talk to him later, ok?”

“Okay, Grayson.”

 

Once they arrived at the movies, they shuffled inside. Jason and Stephanie were arguing about which movie to see.

“We have to see this one!” Jason pointed to cliche action movie #3 that was rated R.

“There are children here!” Stephanie pointed to Damian. “We should watch PG-13 or lower rated movies.”

“I’m no child.” Damian interjected.

“Yes you are,” Tim replied.

“I’m nearly taller than you.”

“So?”

“So, if I am child, you are also a child, or a dwarf.” Damian smirked and Tim scoffed.

“Ok, Dami,” Dick started. “What do you want to watch?”

“I don’t prefer these asinine forms of entertainment, Grayson.”

“What would you watch if you had to?”

“Nothing.”

“Stop being so difficult and pick!”

“I want to watch whatever Todd suggests.” 

“What!” Stephanie yelled.

“Thank you, Demon.” Jason gave Damian an overly exaggerated hug, and they went to watch the movie. 

When they got back home, Damian went to train and the others got ready for patrol. When they were leaving Bruce went to Damian again. “Son, I really need to know if there are any League contacts in Gotham.”

“I’m not your spy, Father. If that’s why I’m here, let me go back.”

“Damian, that’s not why you are here.”

“And why am I here? You have no use for me?” Everyone began to look at them.

“Because I want you here.”

“No you don’t. So why am I here?”

“You want the truth, Damian. Here it is. I want you here because I don’t want my son to become a killer, and an enemy.”

“The League of Shadows is not an enemy of yours unless you decide to classify it as such. Good work is done by it.”

“You all kill.”

“We do what must be done. All these lunatics you put an Arkham live to kill many more. When we kill one, we save hundreds, if not more.” Bruce took a breath.

“Please, just tell me if there are any League members in Gotham.” Damian stared at his father for a bit. Behind his father was Dick. Dick was mouthing for Damian to just appease his father by telling him the answer. Damian would tell Dick anything, but not his father. He would tell his father, but only for his older brother.

“Fine, Father. Yes, the League has contacts in Gotham. The League has contacts everywhere.” 

“Where?”

“That’s all I can say with confidence,” Damian said. He knew where every single member was. Heck, he knew their names, ages, safehouses, families, he knew everything about them. But he wasn’t about to spill all the League’s secrets. He’d lose his road to being Ra’s al Ghul, and, more importantly, the love and respect of his mother and grandfather. Ra’s and his mother treated Damian better than his father. They trusted him, and Damian loved the praise he got when he did something correct for him. They called sometimes to see how he was even. That was more than his father had ever done.

“I know you know more.”

“If,” Damian stressed his words, “I knew more. Why would I tell you? It’s not as if you trust me with any information.” Damian turned around and began to train again.

“What’s his problem,” Stephanie asked while they were on patrol.

“What’s yours,” Jason defended. “The little demon didn’t do anything wrong. B can’t force the boy to do everything. He took him from his home, and now he wants him to sell out his mom and grandad. He only told B because Big Bird asked him to.”

“I guess so. I don’t really know how to talk to him though.”

“He likes sparring, maybe do that with him.”

“Do you actually care, Hood?”

“Of course not, I wanna see him stab you,” he chuckled.

“Hi, Damian,” Steph chirped as she went up to him.

“Hello, Brown,” he mimicked her.

“Wanna spar?” He looked up with intrigue.

“Why?”

“Well, I figured you’d be a skilled person I could learn from.”

“My ego does not need inflation, Brown, but I will spar with you.”

 

They began to spar. He finished her in 7 seconds flat. “Ouch,” she said. “Can we go again, and will you go easier on me? I’m an intermediate.” Damian smirked.

“Fine.” They began. Steph hadn’t gotten one hit in, but she could tell Damian was having fun. Suddenly, a dart shot out, and Damian kicked her away and caught the dart. It was centimeters away from his face. “Father,” he growled. “What was that for? We were sparring.” Bruce looked apologetic.

“I’m sorry, I thought…” Bruce cut himself off.

“You thought what? That I was going to kill her? I’m leaving.”

“You can’t leave.”

“I can and I will.” Damian ran up the cave stairs and jumped out a window.

*3 hours later*

“Hello?”

_ “Dick, have you seen Damian?” _

“No, why?” Bruce explained to Dick what had happened. “Oh my gosh, Bruce. Who do you think he is? He’s an assassin, but that doesn’t mean he kills all the time.”

_ “I know, I just… I don’t know what I was thinking, Dick.” _

“I’ll call him, bye, Bruce.” Dick hung up. He wondered where Damian could be. Was he going back to Nanda Parbat? Dick hoped Bruce hadn’t run him off. The boy may not bother to visit him like he did last time he left. That’s when Dick heard his doorbell. He looked through the peephole. “Little D, where’ve you been? Bruce has been looking for you.” Damian walked in.

“I don’t care if he was looking for me.” Dick texted Bruce that he found Damian.

“He worries, you know.”

“That I’ll go back to the league. I’m not cutting my ties with it.”

“I know. Talia and Ra’s are your family too, I understand why. Are you going home? To Nanda Parbat I mean.”

“No, but I want to.”

“Why not then?”

“Mother still believes I can learn from the man. If I was going home I could’ve went months ago, Grayson. You guys wouldn't be able to stop me.”

“I know,” Dick sighed. “Well, do you wanna extend your visit and stay earlier?” Damian smirked.

“It it would please you.”

“Yay! Do you wanna invite Jay and Timmy?”

“Are you trying to plan a sleepover, Grayson? Because those are for pre-pubescent females and their friends.”

“And bat-bros,” Dick yelled while pumping his fist. Damian rolled his eyes. “You didn’t say no, so I’m going to call them.”

 

Jason and Tim came a few hours later. The beginning of the sleepover was… awkward to say the least. Dick opened the door with a wide smile and welcomed Jason and Tim in. “Hi, Damian,” Tim said.

“Drake, Todd.”

“How’s it going, demon?”

“Badly.”

“Aww, why? What’s got my baby down,” Jason said nasally.

“You,” Dick hit Damian in the arm playfully, but not so softly.

“Dami, be nice. I’m going to go order the pizza, be good while I’m gone!” Dick left the room leaving his brothers to talk amongst themselves. None of them would deny that Dick was the conversation starter in most cases. They went and sat in the living room. After a minute of silence, Jason tried to start conversation. 

“So, how’s your mom?” He didn’t look at Damian, but Tim and Jason’s moms are both dead.

“She is fine, Todd.” Damian fought the urge to ask how Jason’s mom was. “And your hooded endeavors?” 

“They’re fine. Tim, any fun Teen Titans missions recently?”

“Nope,” Tim said evenly. He could tell what Jason was going to say next, and he didn’t know how he was going to answer.

“Hey, Demon, you’re a teen now. Maybe Timmy will let you join his little team.” Jason waved his eyebrows. Tim didn’t know what to say, but Damian saved him.

“I’m fine as I am. I have my own team I lead.”

“What?” Jason and Tim yelled synchronically.

“Yes, Demon’s Fist. It is made up of me, my cousin Mara, and four other League members.”

“Whoa,” Jason said, Tim’s mouth was still wide open. He was in shock. Dick walked back in at that point.

“What’s wrong, Timmy?”

“Did you know Damian has his own team,” Jason asked.

“Yeah, Demon’s fist.”

“How?” 

“He told me,” Dick chuckled.

“Wow, Baby Bat has his own team. Oh my gosh!” Jason’s hands flew over his mouth.

“What?” 

“Baby Bat isn’t a baby anymore,” Jason said as he wiped a fake tear.  

“Well, of course, Todd. I am not frozen at one age as Grandfather is.”

“Yeah, I know, but I didn’t notice until now.” Tim had overcome his shock.

“I noticed,” he said.

“It doesn’t take a genius, Drake.”

“Your grandfather thinks I’m better than B,” Tim smirked. 

“He knows I’m better than you,” Damian said. “He told me a while ago. You’ve been bested, Drake.” 

“What?!”

“Accept it, Drake. You have been beaten by me. You lose.”

“H-he said I was better than B,” Tim stuttered.

“And that I was better than you both.”

“It’s okay, Timmy,” Dick said as he patted Tim’s back. “You still have your IQ of 142.”

“Demon would probably beat that too,” Jason chuckled.

“Stop calling him Demon, Jay,” Dick admonished.

“No, I like it. I am heir to the Demon. It’s befitting.”

“Oh, Dami,” Dick laughed.

 

Overall, the boys had a pleasant night, until their party was crashed. Batman came in at about 3:30am. He snuck into the apartment quietly, and located Damian. His plan: to find the boy and take him home. They boys fell asleep on the floor. He was about to sedate the boy so he wouldn’t wake up when a knife went straight into his suit. It didn’t break skin, but got pretty close. “Damian,” Bruce yelled making himself known. “Fa-Batman,” he changed the name when he saw his father was still in his suit. The other boys began to groan. 

“B?” Dick was the first to see Batman standing in front of the window. 

“I thought you were an assailant,” Damian said. Batman glared at him, Damian was unaffected by it, but he still explained himself. “It wasn’t even a lethal hit. Why’re you so mad.”

“Let’s go.”

“No, I am staying with Grayson until Saturday. He’ll bring me with him when he comes for Sunday dinner.”

“No, we’re leaving now.”

“Let him stay, B,” Jason slurred while laying back down in his spot. Tim laid back down to in his spot on Jason’s legs. It surprised Damian that he was being defended by Todd of all people, but he didn’t question it. 

“B,” Tim said. “I never sleep, ever. And you always say ‘Tim go to sleep.’ i am taking your advice and sleeping, so go, now.” Tim was back to snoring literally seconds later.

“Damian, let’s go.” Damian didn’t want to go, but he knew obedience. It’d been ingrained in him since he was young. 

“Fine, bye, Grayson.”

“He’s coming next weekend, B,” Dick ordered. Bruce nodded. “Bye, Little D.” Dick laid back down. Bruce, figuring the young teen wouldn’t fight him, went to pick Damian up. The boy flinched, which made Bruce stop for a minute, but then he picked him up. He was still pretty light. Sure, he had more muscle than a few years ago, but he was still pretty light. Damian was sleep again before they got to the Batwing, so Bruce slid him in the passenger seat and covered him with a blanket he borrowed from Dick. 

 

Damian always looked younger when he slept, but he looked especially young now. It hurt Bruce to know that his son killed easily without remorse, an assassin. He felt that Damian was his opposite. He didn’t want his son to become Ra’s al Ghul. He really just wanted his son to be normal, but he knew that wasn’t possible. So, he just prayed that Damian chose a path without the league instead. They got back to the cave in about thirty minutes. Damian still hadn’t woken up. Bruce knew it was by choice, due to his training, but it was nice to the little boy of yesterday sometimes. Damian was different now. He was more mature, than God, but also quieter and more closed off. Bruce left the boy in the plane and changed out of his uniform before taking Damian to bed.

 

He held his son close as he scaled the cave steps. He got to Damian’s room fairly quickly and laid the boy in bed and covered him up. He looked at Damian for a minute, brushed his hair out of his eyes. He loves his son, but he’s not sure the boy knows it. He also doesn’t know how to say it if the boy doesn’t know it. Bruce leaves the room, and closes the door.

Damian was up before Alfred. He woke up early to finish his schoolwork so that he could train. It only took him 3 hours, but it felt like forever. When he did finish, he began to train. About an hour into training, Alfred came down saying breakfast was ready and that his father was already there. Damian wiped his sweat off and went upstairs. 

 

He never particularly liked breakfast. He understood its importance though. “Hello, Damian,” Bruce called from behind his newspaper.

“Father,” Damian said quietly as he sat down. They ate in silence until Alfred came.

“Master Damian, what have you been up to?”

“Nothing much, Pennyworth. Actually, I’ve meant to ask, Father.” Bruce looked up attentively. “May I be excused for the day tomorrow?”

“Why?”

“I have a mission.”

“With who?”

“My team, we were tasked with some reconnaissance.”

“You don’t have a team.”

“I do, Father. Demon’s fist, I’ve told you of it before.” Oh, that team. Bruce didn’t like the idea of Damian going on mission where he’ll most likely be killing anyone who stands in his way.

“I don’t really like the sound of that Damian.”

“Why not?” Damian was annoyed now. He didn’t even have to ask his father, he could have just disappeared, but no. Damian tried to be respectful, and look what it got him. 

“I don’t feel comfortable with that.”

“Why are you uncomfortable with it? I’ve done nothing that would imply or shows that you cannot trust me. I’ll come back right after, even if we finish early.”

“I don’t want you falling back to old habits.” Did Damian’s father really think that because Damian hadn’t killed in a bit he wouldn’t in a heartbeat. He stopped for years his first stay in Gotham and killed a man without hesitation subsequent to that. 

“Father, please. It’s my team. I cannot leave them without a leader.”

“No.” Damian was so disappointed. His grandfather rarely gave them missions. They only got a one once a month if they were lucky. When he did it was because they were extremely important. He’d have to call his grandfather and reschedule it. He’d sneak out the next time. 

“Yes, Father.” He was really sad not being able to go. His Father was keeping him prisoner here. He wouldn’t even let him stay at Grayson’s for a few days. He wanted to go back home. He got freedom in the league. He didn’t show his disappointment though, he kept his face of indifference until they finished eating. Then he left to go wait for a call in his room.

 

His mother said to expect a call from her and his grandfather at about 9:00am. True to their word, at 9:00, Damian received a call. He slid the button on his screen and smiled.

“Ibn,” Damian's grandfather greeted smiling softly. Damian bowed his head in respect.

“My love,” his mother said warmly.

“Grandfather, mother. I hope you are well.”

“We are, my love. Have you been learning from your Father” Nope. 

“Yes, mother.” The rest of the conversation was about recent League advances and how Damian was keeping up with his studies. He did a showcase for them by propping his device on the wall. They were pleased. Damian loves when they are pleased.

Damian was getting all his weapons in order in the cave when his father came through. “What do you think your doing?”

“I am preparing for my mission, Father.”

“You’re not going.”

“I am. I do not answer to you, I answer to Ra’s al Ghul.”

“Damian, go to your room.” How cliché.

“No, Father.” he turned to walk away, but Bruce grabbed him by the arm. “Let me go, Father.” Bruce was mad. He was tired of Ra’s undermining him. It was his kid, and Damian was in his care. He shouldn't have to deal with the man’s unilateral decisions. “Father,” Damian yelled. What was Bruce doing with Damian? He would have to figure something out. He needed some way to fix him. Fix whatever was broken inside of Damian. That’s when Bruce heard Damian whimper, “Father, please.” Bruce realized he was hurting the boy’s arm, and let go immediately. 

“Damian, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realize--” Damian popped his shoulder back into place. Bruce hadn’t meant to hurt him.

“I’m leaving.”

“Damian, wait.”

“I’m going to be late.” He winced as he finished putting his weapons on.

“You can’t go in that condition.”

“I’ve done much more with much worse. I’ll be fine.” Damian walked out the cave and jumped into a helicopter that seemingly came from nowhere. Where had Bruce gone wrong?

The next day, Dick came to the manor. He found Bruce in his study doing WE work. “Hey, B”

“Dick.” Well Bruce wasn’t feeling conversational today.

“Where’s Dami?”

“On a mission.” By Bruce’s mood, Dick surmised that it was with Demon’s fist.

“Oh, with his team. He needs friends Bruce.”

“Then he can make friends in Gotham.”

“Not really, you don’t let him go anywhere and he’s not in school. Plus, Damian’s not normal, so he can’t be expected to make normal friends. He loves his team, you know. They have fun together. They’re the youngest in the league, and some of the best. He’s proud of that.”

“I’m not going to condone killing.”

“I’m not either, but you do. With Jason and Kate. You can’t have a double standard.”

“That’s different, “ Bruce grunted.

“You know he doesn’t want to be here. He wants to go back, and unless your going to treat him differently he may. I don’t want that, and I don’t think you do either, so figure it out, Bruce. And figure it out quickly.”

“I know, Dick.”

“Well, while you do that he’s coming with me for the weekend.”

“I know. What’re you guys going to be doing?”

“You know, the usual, bro bonding, vigilantism, talking about girls.”

“Vigilantism?” Bruce always picks out the bad parts.

“Yeah, I need his help busting a drug ring.”

“Take Tim or Jason.”

“I need Dami.”

“No you don’t.”

“He’ll make it go faster. Though no one wants to admit it, he’s really skilled, Bruce. Definitely more skilled than the rest of us, and maybe even you.”

“In killing.”

“In combat.”

“No, Dick.”

“No, Bruce. You can’t keep him holed up in here forever. It’ll be fun and he won’t even kill a bug.”

“If he does--”

“You can ground him for one week.”

“Six months.”

“Fine, two weeks, and that’s final, Brucie.”

“Why do you get to decide?”

“Because.” Dick left for the kitchen in search of cookies.

Damian and Dick were waiting to pounce. They had deduced that their weakest time would be in 3, 2, 1… the boys flew into action. Punching and kicking and doing all their cool stuff. While Dick questioned the leader, Damian was chasing a runaway. He got the guy on the ground. He held a knife to his throat while he asked the guy some questions. He wasn’t gonna kill the guy, Dick said not to, but no one said anything about scaring them. That’s when Damian was hit with a tranq. Before he could react, the whole world went black.

 

Dick finished with the leader, and went to find Damian, but the boy was gone. That’s when his comm rang. “Nightwing, come in.”

“Batman, I’m kinda busy. I can’t find Flamebird.” Dick chose the codename. 

“I have him.”

“What? Why didn’t either of you all tell me. Is he okay?”

“Yes.” 

“Where is he then?”

“I had to tranq him.”

“Why?”

“He was about to kill a man.”

“How do you know that? We can trust him. He keeps to his word.” Bruce hadn’t thought about that honestly. Maybe he should’ve before he gave the boy enough to knock him out for at least a 12 hours.

“Meet me at your apartment.”

“Okay, but no suits.”

“Affirmative.”

 

Dick got to his apartment as fast as he could. Bruce was there, in civilian attire, with Damian. The boy was out cold, and limp on the sofa. “Bruuuuce. Why? Do you even know how mad he’s going to be? He may kill one of your rogues just to spite you.”

“I thought he was going to kill the man,” Bruce sighed. 

“But he probably wasn’t. Which knife was he holding?” 

“The--uh-- one with the red handle and silver stripes.” Dick laughed. “What’s so funny?”

“That’s his showy knife. He only uses it when he’s pretending he’s going to kill you. The blade is dull.”

“Oh.” Bruce felt really badly now.

“Well, since he’s asleep, I’ve been meaning to ask you. How’d he hurt his shoulder? He wouldn’t tell me.”

“That was me. I wasn’t trying to.”

“Bruce,” Dick groaned. “You are never gonna get Dami on your side if you keep acting like that.” 

“I know.” Bruce went to grab Damian, but Dick stopped him.

“He’s still staying the weekend.”

“Okay.” Bruce rolled his eyes and left.

 

Damian woke up the next afternoon, and he was mad, and hurt. He just wanted to be trusted, but his father wouldn’t. He wasn’t going to live like this again. He was going back to where he was appreciated and felt loved. Grayson would be sad, but he’d get over it. Damian didn’t care what his mother wanted anymore. He was leaving. Damian signaled for a helicopter to come pick him up, and got up to leave. 

“Dami, where are you going?” 

“Back to Grandfather’s compound. I’m going to the manor, grabbing my things, and going back home.”

“Please don’t, Dami.”

“I will not live in a house where I am kept on short leash and not trusted.”

“Bruce is trying.”

“No he’s not. Trying is not dislocating one’s kids shoulder. Trying is not tranquilizing one’s kid when they did nothing wrong.”

“I get it Dami, I do, but--”

“But nothing, Grayson. I will contact you soon. You cannot change my mind.”

“Okay, can I have a hug before you go?” Dick accepted that he couldn’t keep Damian here. At least the boy would visit him. Bruce just wouldn’t treat the boy right, and Dick couldn’t blame him for wanting to leave. He would miss seeing him more often, though.

“Fine.” Dick gave Damian a hug, and Damian left. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter!


	3. Why Do We Keep Playing This Game?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why does Bruce keep playing this game when Damian knows he is going to lose?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Damian was back in Gotham, against his will, again. His grandfather had sent him to take care of some loose ends in some cities around Gotham and set some League roots in Gotham. It had been a year, and what a nice year it was, thought Damian. He was sitting in the cave being interrogated by his father. The man was smart enough to know that Damian wasn’t here for no reason.

 

“Damian.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Why are you here?”

“To kill Drake,” Damian deadpanned. Tim laughed.

“As if you could kill me,” he retorted.

“It wouldn’t be that hard. I know literally hundreds of thousands of ways to do it. I’ve studied your fight patterns, so you’d be no match for my bigger repertoire. Drake, I could slit your throat before you even noticed me grab the knife.” Damian smiled. Tim laughed again, but it was a fake kind of laughter.

“You’re joking right?”

“Of course he is,” Jason said sarcastically. He kinda wanted to see Damian do that. “Demon, if you can do that, you have to show me.”

“Later, Todd. Can’t you see Father is interrogating me. He wants to know of my grandfather’s evil plan.” 

“Enough, Damian. Why are you here.”

“I missed, Grayson.”

“You see him every few weeks.”

“Bruce,” Dick whined. “You keep tabs on me? How rude!”

“Okay, Father. I’m here because destroying you is my last mission before I become the Demon’s head.”

“What?” Bruce was shocked.

“You actually believe that,” Dick chuckled. “I thought you were the greatest detective in the world.”

“That’s me, Grayson.”

“I know, Little D. We just tell Bruce that to keep him happy.”

“If you are done, Father. I have business to attend to.”

“Where?”

“None of your concern.”

“Damian,” Bruce grabbed his arm.

“Are you going to dislocate my shoulder again, Father?” Bruce let go. 

“Where are you going?” Damian didn’t really know, but he thought on his feet. 

“Grayson, Todd, Drake, and I are going to do some of Grayson’s favorite, asinine, ‘brother’ bonding activities.” He didn’t want to, but he was a man of his word, so Damian would.

“Yeah, B,” Jason joined in. “I’ve missed the little Demon.”

“Fine,” Bruce conceded and went to work on the computer.

“So, Damian,” Jason started. “Kill any good villains lately? I got Blockbuster’s number two last week. It was a joyous occasion.”

“I’d rather not disclose the details, Todd, but I have been enjoying myself as of late.” Tim and Dick trailed behind the two as they left the cave.

“You know, you could be my partner. You could be Demon Hood!” Jason took his hands and ran it through the air with Jazz hands. They were driving now, well Dick was. They were going to one of Tim’s apartments to watch a movie.

“No thanks, Todd. I’d rather be Ra’s.”

“Are you actually still in line?” Tim asked.

“Yes, Drake. Grandfather said he may retire soon also.”

“Wow.”

“My little demon, Ra’s al Ghul,” Jason singsonged. “You’ll hook us up right? That Lazarus water makes it so much easier to heal.”   
“I’ll consider it, Todd.”

“What do you think , Dickhead?” Dick had been silent the whole time.

“You really want to live forever, Dami?”

“I don’t know. If I complete the League’s mission before I get too old I won’t even need the pit.”

“You know what you’ll have to do right,” Tim said. Damian would have to kill a lot of people to achieve world peace. It was a high price.

“Of course.”

“Unlike you two, I support Demon baby in all he does. Can I have one of the buildings in the compound when you become Ra’s?” Damian shrugged.

“I guess so.”

“We support Damian,” Dick said offended. “We just don’t condone killing.”

“This again, Grayson?” Damian sounded annoyed.

“You know I don’t like it, Dami.”

“It’s okay,” Jason said. “I’ll marry you if Dickiebird won’t. We’ll rule the world, beloved,” Jason mimicked Talia’s voice. Causing the three older boys to laugh.

The boys were talking now. Serious talking, confiding in each other things they’d told no one else. They asked questions they had for each other that they were all too scared to answer. It was out of character for all of them, and the don’t know how they got there, but they didn’t stop.

“Damian,” Tim asked, “Why did you leave?” Damian took a few seconds to collect his thoughts.

“Well, Drake. I didn’t want to live with Father. The League is simple. It has clear expectations. Father asks of a lot, and whenever I met whatever bar he set, he rose it. Mother and Grandfather, honestly, treat me better. They respect me. They don’t talk down to me or keep me locked away like a prisoner. And there’s this smile Father has. A smile that I’ve seen him give all of you. One of  _ Pride _ and  _ Love _ . Truthfully, I wanted that smile. I didn’t want to, but I did. I worked so hard to try to please him, but he could never be pleased. Grandfather and Mother can be pleased. I’ve done it before, and will do it again. I didn’t want to live in a place where I wasn’t trusted. I figure Father loves me, but I stay with the League because my Grandfather and Mother, though cold, are capable of showing it.” 

“Oh,” Tim said dumbfounded. How could he have been so smart and so dumb. Dick knew about this, Damian had told him before. Jason decided to lighten the mood since he was always uncomfortable in these situations.

“I just thought you were a Dick, you intrigue me, Demon.” Suddenly, ten assassins came flying through Tim’s window. Damian rolled his eyes. He grabbed a collapsible katana out of his boots and fought them off easily. He threw them out the window as he beat them. The one who seemed to be their leader was still standing. Damian muttered something in Arabic before eventually besting the man and impaling him with the katana. They all wanted to look away so badly, but they couldn’t. Damian then pulled his katana out of the man and threw him out the window like the others. 

 

They were all speechless, before Dick found his voice. “D-Dami.” That was all he could choke out. 

“Don’t worry, he’s not dead, yet. Mother is right there in the sky,” Damian pointed to a helicopter in the sky out the window. “It was a test. She’ll kill him herself for failing, and come greet us in a minute.”

“If she wasn’t going to kill him, would you?”

“No, why would I? I get nothing from that. He’s her number two, not mine.”

“That was so cool,” Jason found his voice next. 

“You… here's… why?” Tim stuttered.

“He failed. He would’ve killed me had he the chance. He would’ve killed all of us. They are told to.”

“Had he tried, would you have killed him,” Dick asked. Before Damian could answer Talia came down.

“My love,” she said as she kissed Damian on the cheek. He was much taller than her now, so she had to get on her tippy toes. “Detective, Todd, Grayson.” Talia and Ra’s called Tim detective. The same name they had for Batman. Jason got up and gave Talia a side hug.

“Hey, what’re you doing here,” he asked.

“A test for your brother.”

“We saw,” Dick said. He seemed mad.

“Don’t get upset, Richard,” Talia sneered. She never liked Dick. He always interrupted her and her beloved’s meetings when he was younger. Dick rolled his eyes.

“I hope you’re paying for the window.”

“I’ll take care of it, it’s my fault,” Damian said.

“No it’s not,” Tim interjected. “You didn’t ask for a mob of assassins to come and try to kill you. Your mother did.” Damian bowed to his mother.

“Until next time,” he said.

“Goodbye, my love.” She gave him another kiss on the cheek and left. 

“Don’t be mad at her, Grayson.”

“She shouldn’t have done that.”

“She has to prepare me.” 

“You’re really gonna be Ra’s al Ghul one day,” Tim said, stunned. Everything finally felt so real.


	4. Even Dreams Eventually Become Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How will our story end? What will become of Bruce and Damian? Let's find out.

No no no, Damian thought. He was supposed to have more time. He was rapidly trying to make plans. He promised he’d have more time. The plan had to start now. “Put phase one into action,” he told his servant. The man bowed and quickly went to follow his orders. Damian threw his things across the room. He can’t figure it out. He needs to. He wants to make everyone he loves proud.

 

About a day later, he’s done it. He found the solution. The plan is complete, but what if it didn’t work? What if it all fell apart? He planned so many contingencies, but they could all fail. And Why couldn’t they be here to see this? He wanted them to. He missed them. Damian couldn’t breathe. He was trying, but kept choking. He wanted his grandfather and mother. He needed them. He was supposed to have more time before he became Ra’s. His grandfather still had two more years before he planned to retire. Now, here Damian was. 19 and Ra’s al Ghul. Damian still couldn't breathe and tears were streaming down his cheeks. Why? He was happy he had completed the plan, but he wasn’t with the ones he loved for its completion.

 

Damian’s vision began to blur. “Little D, c’mon let’s breathe.” Damian’s hand was pulled from the ball he’d curled himself into to Dick’s chest. “In… and Out. Good job.” Dick kept repeating the cadence as he pulled Damian into his arms. Damian’s breathing eventually normalized, but the boy, well young man now, still laid in his big brother’s arms. “It’s okay, Dami.”

“He was supposed to see it.”

“I know.”

“He had two more years.”

“I know, it’s okay.”

“She had many more. They were supposed to see it. To see the League’s one goal for the centuries it’s been around come to fruition.” Harsh sobs racked Damian’s body. Almost 20 years of holding them in and they all came out now. All his disappointments and tragedies.  

“Shh, it’s okay, Little D.” Damian cried until he had no more tears.

“It wasn’t time yet.”

“I know, but it’ll be okay.” Damian’s whole world went to away one week ago. It was Slade and the al Ghul's. Damian hadn’t been there at the time, but the one servant Slade let survive reported that it was mutually assured destruction. Slade wanted to be Ra’s, but they wouldn’t let him. They died with him in a contingency plan that hadn’t needed to be used since its creation 800 years before.

 

Dick understood having one’s whole world be taken in one fell swoop. His world died a bit before Damian was born. But he built a new one, and he would help Damian build a new one too. Once Damian composed himself, Ra’s had too, Dick asked. “So, what is the plan? I heard you captured the whole justice league, B too.”

“Allow me to show you, Grayson.”

Damian walked down to the giant containment cell he had all the heroes in, Dick, Jason, and Tim were by his side. Once they found out what the plan was, they couldn’t help, but be proud of their brother. They all stood behind him proud of that. The only heroes he left alone were the Bats, except for Batman himself. “Damian,” Superman said, seeming relieved to see him.

“It’s Ra’s now.” Superman looked perplexed for a bit, then Batman whispered something in his ear.

“My condolences fo--”

“Are not needed,” Damian cut in. Ra’s had to be above condolences.

“Okay. Why are we here?”

“I have a plan, and you’d be in the way.”

“What is it,” Batman commanded.

“Batman, are we still not done with your interrogating me? I think we are both too old for this now.”

“What? You’re 19.”

“Physically.”

“Son, I need to know what your planning.” Did Batman really think calling him son would work? That meant nothing at this point.

“I’ll consider it.”

“Nightwing,” Superman pleaded, “What’s going on?” Before Dick could answer, Jason butted in.

“Ra’s has got some totes cool stuff going on right now. By the way, I still get a room in the compound, right?”

“Not the time,” Tim muttered.

“Anyway, I’ve come to let you know that you all will be released when the plan comes to fruition.”

“When will that be,” Superman asked.

“Drake?”

“We should be done in about 19 days at the earliest.”

“19 days!” Some of the heroes were yelling complaints and insults.

“We have families,” Flash yelled. Bart had a toddler and a wife.

“They will be taken care of.”

“By who?” Superman was still speaking for the group.

“Grayson is implementing the arrangements.”

“Will we get to see them?”

“Yes, in the next 24 hours. Wilkes! Where are you?” Damian had stayed in contact with Colin Wilkes, aka Abuse, since after his second departure. The man volunteered to be a sleeper agent and take care of a few inside things to keep the heroes in check.

“I’m here, Damian!” He ran to the front of the crowd, he was in his human form. Damian didn’t bother correcting the boy.

“Wilkes, all is done?”

“Yessir!” He saluted playfully.

“Have some propriety, Wilkes. Drake.” Tim pressed a button and Colin was transported out. He gave Damian a hug. The boy had to fight his insticts so that he wouldn’t throw his friend.

“Da-Ra’s,” Superman called, “Why are you doing this?”

“For the good of the world. Your puny efforts were not working, I made a plan that will succeed where you failed. The villains will be taken care of.”

“You don’t mean--”

“Killling? Superman, If there is one thing I have learned in my short, but enriching years, it is that death is never final. I have something better.” Damian walked away. Tim and Colin followed while Jason and Dick stayed.

“It’s a good plan, Batman,” Dick smiled.

“Why have you betrayed us,” Diana was asking questions now.

“We haven’t. You guys would get in the way, but when you come out, it’ll be great. He worked hard on this plan, you know.” Jason took offense to Diana’s comment.

“Listen, Lady. Us Bats, we’re loyal as hell. How do you think we were roped into one man’s crusade on crime? We are not a part of the Justice League, so I had no loyalty to you to begin with. We’re loyal to Gotham and our Family.”

“Then let us out,” Bruce commanded.

“It’s for the greater good, Old man. I’ll admit, the brat, I mean his Ra’s highness sir, is a genius,” Jason chuckled. He waved then ran to catch up with Damian. Dick smiled, then began to assign them and their families housing in Damian’s allocated spot.

“Wow, maybe you are better than me,” Tim said in awe to Damian.

“We’ve done it,” Damian said proudly.

“Man, am I lucky to have you as a best friend, Damian.”

“Good job, Little D.”

“I got my building,” Jason sang.

“Are we gonna let the league out,” Tim asked.

“I guess so, Drake.” They walked to where the league was being held and pulled down a switch that freed them. “You all are free.”

“Welcome to Utopia,” Dick squealed. The heroes each took the nearby Zeta tube to their homes, and Batman walked up to his boys and Colin. “Dami got us world peace, Bruce! He took care of all the bad guys!”

“What was the body count?”

“Don’t disrespect me, Father. You can’t do that anymore. No one died, so stop whining.” Bruce was taken aback. Had his son achieved what no one else could in a matter of days? And the right way at that.

“I’m sorry, Damian.”

“You should be. Goodbye, I’ve more important things to attend to.”

“Like what?”

“The league will be keeping the peace. I must plan for more recruitment in the years when the current members die.”

“Oh. Good job, son.”

“I know,” Damian smirked. He walked off with his family and friend behind him. He was ready to keep this utopia running forever. He had all he needed, and nothing else mattered.

 

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!


End file.
